Ask the shelter: Here's how to keep your dog calm during a storm

Check out this cute Beagle mix at the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter.
Wochit

Wylee is a 6-year-old Australian Cattledog mix who was surrendered to the shelter because he didn’t get along with kids. This guys is a real sweetheart, and incredibly photogenic, but we definitely need a home for him with no children. If you have the right spot, please stop out to meet Wylee.(Photo: Submitted)

Q: I just want to make sure everyone out there knows the value of a Thundershirt. I have a dog who is petrified of thunderstorms and I found that a Thundershirt helps him so much. It basically just wraps around the body of the dog and applies enough pressure to calm him. It's like swaddling a baby. I never thought it would work, but my boy actually slept through a thunderstorm a few weeks ago! That has never happened before. I just wanted to pass this along to other pet owners who may be having the same problems.

A: I just adore when animal-lovers look out for each other like this. I know a number of people who would never give up their Thundershirts for their pups. Keep in mind, every dog is different, so the success rate may vary. Still, it’s worth a try, especially if you have a nervous pooch. It's supposed to calm the dogs in general -- not just during thunderstorms. It might be the best investment you ever made.

Paprika is one gorgeous girl. She’s a 1-year-old brown tabby with white who has really pretty coloring and incredible green eyes. If you’re looking for a fun four-legged friend, you’ve gotta come see Paprika.(Photo: Submitted)

Q: How do I teach my new puppy her name?

A: I've always believed that the best way to teach anything is with positive reinforcement. Get your girl's attention, say her name and give her a treat. Continue this for a bit. Then when your girl isn't looking at you, say her name and once you have her attention, give her a treat. Eventually, she'll learn to associate her name with something yummy. It works equally well during dinner time, too, so when you're feeding her, you could always say her name (that way you won't stuff her full of treats!) Remember if you're using this method, you have to be diligent with the use of her name and the treats. You can't walk around the house just saying her name randomly. In other words, don't make her name become background noise to her. Other schools of thought on the subject are to just continually say her name -- no treat involved. Some pups are smart enough to pick up on this. A lot of it more than likely has to do with your tone of voice. If you're happy when you're talking to your girl and asking her to come to you by using her name, she'll likely respond in a positive way. When our pets are rewarded with praise and affection, sometimes that works just as well as treats. Part of it is finding out what motivates your dog -- food or praise. As for the name, I'd like to suggest when searching for a name (if you don't have one already) try for something simple with one or two syllables. A long name can be confusing for our dogs and tough for us to get out when we have to call them immediately. Getting your girl to know her name is a handy tool to have -- especially if you need her to respond to you quickly. We have a number of great dog trainers in the area who could further help you with this, so give the shelter a call and we can put you in touch. Good luck!!

Ask the Shelter is a weekly feature aimed at pet education. If you have a question, contact Jennifer Vanderau, director of communications for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, at cvascomm@cvas-pets.org or 263-5791.